Psoriasis causes as much disability as other major medical diseases

Background: Little is known about how the health-related quality of life (HRQL) associated with psoriasis compares with that of other patient populations. Objective: We describe HRQL associated with psoriasis and compare it with HRQL of patients with other major chronic health conditions. A second aim is to identify which specific aspects of psoriasis contribute most to HRQL. Methods: A total of 317 patients completed a non-disease-specific measure of HRQL. Responses were compared with those of patients with 10 other chronic health conditions. HRQL was regressed on ratings of 18 aspects of psoriasis. Results: Patients with psoriasis reported reduction in physical functioning and mental functioning comparable to that seen in cancer, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Six aspects of psoriasis predicted physical functioning, and 5 different disease aspects predicted mental functioning. Conclusion: The impact of psoriasis on HRQL is similar to that of other major medical diseases. Different aspects of psoriasis are related to the different dimensions of HRQL supporting the need for multidimensional treatment models. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;41:401-7.)